There is provided an automated analyzer which can eliminate static charge on receptacles storing analytes or reagents to thereby offer improved accuracy of analysis. The automated analyzer comprises: a receptacle carrier mechanism operative to hold a plurality of receptacles storing liquid and to carry the held receptacles in a given direction; a reader device for reading identification information of the receptacles carried by the receptacle carrier mechanism; a static eliminator for eliminating static charge on the receptacles carried by the receptacle carrier mechanism; and an input/output controller for causing the static eliminator to carry out the elimination of the static charge in synchronism with successive reading by the reader device of the identification information of the receptacles carried by the receptacle carrier mechanism.

A sample container carrier handling apparatus is presented. A first revolving device located at a first level moves sample container carriers along a first path. A second revolving device located at a second level different from the first level moves sample container carriers along a second path. A first transport device transports sample container carriers to or away from a first handover position associated with the first revolving device. A second transport device transports sample container carriers to or away from a second handover position associated with the second revolving device. A lifting device lifts a sample container carrier from a first lifting position associated with the first revolving device to a second lifting position associated with the second revolving device. An operating position is associated with the first or second revolving device. A sample container is loaded or unloaded into a sample container carrier placed at the operating position.

Provided is an automatic analysis apparatus for inspecting blood coagulation, which is capable of miniaturizing device configuration and reducing device costs. The automatic analysis apparatus includes: a reaction container in which a specimen and a reagent are mixed with each other and the mixed solution is reacted; a sample dispensing mechanism which dispenses the specimen into the reaction container; a blood coagulation time measuring unit in which the reaction container is mounted to measure a coagulation time of the mixed solution within the reaction container; a reaction container accommodating unit which accommodates a plurality of reaction containers provided to the blood coagulation measuring unit; a reaction container transfer mechanism which grasps the reaction container and transfers the reaction container to the blood coagulation measuring unit; and a control unit which controls the reaction container transfer mechanism.

Methods and apparatus that mix a plurality of individual capture reagents for the diagnostic assays are described herein. In an embodiment, a system for optically analyzing a patient sample includes an automated immunochemistry analyzer storing a plurality of capture reagents and a plurality of paramagnetic particles, a user interface configured to allow a selection of a combination of two or more of the capture reagents, and a logic implementer configured to cause the automated immunochemistry analyzer to (i) mix together each capture reagent of the combination of two or more of the capture reagents; (ii) bind the mixture of the combination of two or more of the capture reagents to the paramagnetic particles; (iii) bind the patient sample to the bound mixture of the combination of two or more of the capture reagents; and (iv) optically analyze the patient sample.

A slide rack carousel is provided that includes a base that is configured to support a plurality of slide rack spacers that extend upward from an upper surface of the base. Adjacent slide rack spacers define a slide rack slot of a predetermined size. The plurality of slide rack spacers may include slide rack spacers of varying sizes and therefore a plurality slide rack slot sizes can be selectively configured on the carousel in accordance with the positioning and size of the plurality of slide rack spacers that are attached to the base of the carousel. Accordingly, a desired number of 13 slide rack slots and a desired number of 23 slide rack slots can be configured on the base of the slide rack carousel.

A sample processing arrangement for processing a fluidic sample, the sample processing arrangement including a sample holder for accommodating the fluidic sample, an apparatus having a rotor mechanism and being configured for selectively operating the sample holder in an orbital motion mode for sample mixing, particularly for shaking, or in a rotary motion mode for sample separation, particularly for centrifuging, a mounting platform having a central portion on which the apparatus and the sample holder are mounted and having a surrounding portion circumferentially surrounding the central portion, and a plurality of module accommodation positions circumferentially distributed in the surrounding portion to surround the rotor mechanism and the sample holder, wherein each of the module accommodation positions is configured for detachably accommodating a selectable one of a plurality of sample processing modules, each being configured for fulfilling an assigned sample processing task, by accommodating the respective sample processing module in the respective one of the module accommodation positions.

The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of a multiplicity of measurement locations in a measurement system of an automated analysis device, and a corresponding automated analysis device with an integrated circuit, which is configured as phase locked loop.

An interactive test method, device and system are disclosed. An interactive test method, applicable to a product to be tested, including: obtaining an identification of the product to be tested; obtaining test conditions corresponding to the product to be tested according to the identification, wherein the test conditions include a test type, a test location, a test case and the attribute information of the test case; transmitting a first instruction including the test location to an actuating device; transmitting a second instruction including the test case and the attribute information of the test case to a test device; and obtaining test data transmitted by the test device and obtained by performing a test according to the first instruction and the second instruction, and comparing the test data with the test case to obtain a test result.

An automatic chemical analyzer, maintenance kit, and maintenance method capable of, even in a case where a problem of the automatic chemical analyzer occurs, clarifying a cause of the problem in a user site and coping with the problem without collecting a device or a component. The automatic chemical analyzer maintenance kit is connectable to an automatic chemical analyzer including a reaction vessel for accommodating at least a pipetted specimen and a reagent, and a stirring mechanism including a piezoelectric element that irradiates the reaction vessel with ultrasonic waves. The piezoelectric element includes a plurality of divided electrodes. The automatic chemical analyzer maintenance kit measures, for each of the divided electrodes, an absolute value of an impedance of the piezoelectric element and a phase difference between a voltage applied to the divided electrode and a current, and determines if there is an abnormality an electrode based on a measurement result.

Disclosed is a fraction collector for dispensing liquids into plural receptacles (P1,P2) arranged in a two dimensional array. The fraction collector comprises a table (22) for supporting said receptacles, and an arm supported above the table, in turn supporting a liquid dispenser (35), the fraction collector arm is rotatable about an arm axis (C) and the liquid dispenser is movable along the arm on a carriage 34 (FIG. 2). Thereby, the dispenser is low cost and is repositionable simply above the receptacles as a result of said rotation and as a result of said movement along the arm, without occupying too much laboratory bench space.